YaDa Chef Private and Personal Chefs

Unexpected people arrive and there is not enough time to make something fancy, but no one wants a boring cheese platter from the store. Whip up this dip in the  food processor. Made from canned black beans, salsa, and a few spices, even someone with minimal kitchen skills will look like a pro. Quick Black Bean Dip Recipe Ingredients 2 (14 oz.) low-sodium black beans, drained & rinsed ¾ cup salsa 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp fresh lime juice 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp water ⅛ tsp salt ¼ cup minced flat leaf parsley Instructions In the bowl of a food processor, puree the black beans, salsa, garlic, lime juice, cumin, water and salt until smooth. Add the parsley and pulse until just combined. Serve with tortilla chips or raw vegetables. personal chefs and event catering Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach www.yadachef.com info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232)

Onions vary in color, size, the time of year harvested, and flavor. These differences make onions very versatile. The  Color of Onions Bulb onions can be yellow, red, or white. Approximately 87 percent of the crop is devoted to yellow onion production, with about eight percent red onions, and five percent white onions. Yellow Onions Yellow Onions are full-flavored and are a reliable standby for cooking almost anything. Yellow onions turn a rich, dark brown when cooked and give French Onion Soup its tangy sweet flavor. Red Onions Red Onions, with their wonderful color, are a good choice for lots of fresh uses or for grilling, charbroiling, and roasting. White Onions White Onions are often used in prepared salads, white sauces, and is the traditional onion for classic Mexican cuisine. They have a golden color and sweet flavor when sautéed. personal chefs and event catering Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach www.yadachef.com info@yadachef.com

There are many traditions that come from the Italian side of my family, both Calabrian and the Campagna. I am  going for the sweet side today with Sfinge di San Giuseppe. Sfinge: 1 cup/250ml water 1/3 cup/76g unsalted butter 1 tablespoon/15ml sugar Grated rind of 1 lemon Pinch of salt 1 cup/125g sifted flour 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1 tablespoon/15ml Cognac or vanilla Filling: 2 cups/246g ricotta cheese 1/2 cups/65g confectioners' sugar 1/2 teaspoon/2ml. vanilla 1/4 teaspoon/1ml ground cinnamon 1/3 cup/33g grated dark chocolate 2 tablespoons/30ml finely chopped pistachios Garnish: Powdered sugar Lemon rind Put water, butter, granulated sugar, lemon rind, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, and as soon as the butter has melted, remove from heat. Add the flour all at once, stirring constantly and with vigor. Return the pan to the heat, and stir constantly until the mixture forms a ball and comes away from the sides of the pan. Cook just a

For those who think they do not have the patience to make their own white bread, think again.  A little bored this morning, we have come up with a white bread recipe which takes about an hour from start to finish - including the mixing of the ingredients. Makes 2 loaves 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 cups/687g-812g flour - we used all-purpose 2 tablespoons/19g  active dry yeast 2 tablespoons/24g sugar 1 teaspoon/5g salt 1/4 cup/60ml oil - we used grapeseed oil canola is fine 2 1/4 cups/560ml warm tap water oil for spritzing In a large mixing bowl (of a food mixer), place 2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and oil. Add hot water all at once. Mix on medium speed with a dough hook (you can start with a paddle then move to a dough hook later on - we didn’t want to have to wash anything extra) for about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup more of the flour. Mix on a medium to high speed (depending on your mixer) for 1 minute. Add remaining flour.  While mixing, add your flour until your dough is

With today being national artichoke hearts day, why not roast some up wi th lunch or dinner! These babies are SO good. We roasted canned artichoke hearts in connection with another recipe and was so pleased with the way they came out even without the topping. We found that roasting them enhanced the taste and texture - made them more tender on the inside. One of these "throw it in the oven and ignore while you are fixing other parts of dinner" recipes! INGREDIENTS: 3 (15 ounce) cans artichoke hearts 4 garlic cloves, quartered 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional) 1 tablespoon butter (optional) DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375°F. Drain artichokes in colander and rinse a bit to remove brine. Mix gently with garlic and olive oil in a bowl. Pour artichoke mixture in a metal roasting pan and roast for about one hour, tossing a few times if desired. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add lemon juice and b

Chocolate Covered Potato Chip Recipe Ridged potato chips are dipped into tempered milk chocolate for an elegant treat that everyone will enjoy. This recipe also  works for pretzels, popcorn and any kind of nut. Ingredients 1 pound high quality milk chocolate, chopped 8 cups ridged potato chips Directions Place about 3/4 of the chocolate into a heat safe bowl, and place over the top of a pan of simmering water. If you have a double boiler, use that. Heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has melted, then continue to heat the chocolate to 110 degrees F (43 degrees C), stirring occasionally. You may use a meat thermometer if your candy thermometer does not go that low. As soon as the melted chocolate reaches temperature, remove it from the heat, and stir in the remaining chopped chocolate until melted. Continue stirring until the chocolate has cooled to 90 degrees F (32 degrees C). Touching a dab of chocolate to your lip will feel cool. Use tongs to dip potato

This easy to make snack is a great way to include your kids in the kitchen. St Patrick’s Day Cookie Snacks 1 package Cookies (we used Oreos) 2 cups white chocolate wafers Green Food Colouring Green/white sprinkles Place the chocolate into a heat safe bowl, and place over the top of a pan of simmering water. If you have a double boiler, use that. Heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has melted, then continue to heat the chocolate to 110 degrees F (43 degrees C), stirring occasionally. You may use a meat thermometer if your candy thermometer does not go that low. Once melted add a couple drops of food colouring, stir well to combine. Keep adding green drops until you reach your desired level of green, mixing well each time you add drops. Take your cookies and dip half into the melted chocolate. Then holding the cookie over a bowl or plate drop some sprinkles on top. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Continue until you have used all the cookies. Place c

There's no question that eating three to five servings of fruits and vegetables daily will improve your health. But more and more experts are saying healthy eat ing is not only about how many servings you eat. It's about the variety you pick, too. Eat a diet of solely white foods, and you'll miss key nutrients your body needs—even if your palette includes cauliflower, onions, and mushrooms. Adding a multivitamin doesn't cut it either. "People will say, 'I'm taking a multivitamin, so I don't really need to eat these,' " says Karin Hosenfeld, RD, LD, a dietitian in private practice in Dallas, but she says scientists don't know whether whole foods may offer undiscovered benefits that vitamins don't. "We do know for sure that if you don't eat your fruits and vegetables, you're not getting your fiber, and that's [helping keep] your blood sugar down." Every one of your meals doesn't have to be multicolored

With Saint Patrick's Day just days away, We thought we would share a traditional recipe. It can be a side or a main.  Colcannon Potatoes Potatoes were introdu ced to to Europe by 16th century explorers. .This is an Irish dish of boiled potatoes and cabbage or kale mashed together and flavoured with onion, shallots, or leeks and cream or butter. The word 'colcannon' is from the Gaelic cal ceannann' which literally means white-headed cabbage. Starchy potatoes are best for light and fluffy mash. Serves 8 as a side 4 as a main 4 russet potatoes (about 2 pounds/900g), peeled and cut into large chunks 1-2 tablespoons/15-30ml/g Salt 6 tablespoons/86 grams 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter 2 pounds/1kg chopped kale, cabbage, chard, or other leafy green 3 green onions (including the green onion greens)/1 leek or 1 medium onion , minced (about 1/2 cup/118ml) 1 cup/250ml milk or cream 1-2 tablespoons/15-30ml/g Salt Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold

Almond milk is a beverage commonly used as a milk substitute. Almond milk has been used as a milk substitute since the Middle Ages,  when people preferred it over fresh cow's milk because of its long shelf life. However, it may not be right for everyone. Here are some of the pros and cons of almond milk. 1) Almond Milk is High in Antioxidants Almond milk is a good source of the antioxidant vitamin E, so it can help prevent cancer and slow the signs of aging. The flavonoids in almond milk also help to reduce the number of free radicals in the body, protecting you from a number of degenerative diseases that occur, such as osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes. 2) Almond Milk is Heart Healthy Unlike cow's milk, almond milk contains no cholesterol and no saturated fats, so it won't damage your cardiovascular system. Almond milk is also high in omega-3 fatty acids to help lower your levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and protect your heart. You'll also enjoy t